What can I do when Metaformin does not work and I have no insurance?

I am so frustrated and don't no whay yo do. I don't have insurance and the oral meds did not help. My blood sugar is still out of control. As, I find solutions, I will post them here to hopful help others in my position. Alos, welcome any one else who would like to sound off.

13 replies

Work on your diet. Work on your exercise. Talk to your doctor about other low cost medications, there are other diabetic ones on the $4 generic prescription programs. The first two are free and play the biggest part in your blood sugar.

Definitely consult with your doctor. You obviously have one who prescribed the Metformin. There are a number of other meds to try, so he needs to work with you on that. He will probably have samples of a replacement that he will give you to try before actually prescribing it. As others have mentioned, it is extremely important to watch your diet (reduce carbs, etc.), and to exercise (walking) as much as possible, even if in small spurts during the day. I have been on Glyburide/Metformin for quite some time. It works for me. But drugs affect folks differently, so it sometimes takes a few trys before you hit on one that works for you (and the appropriate dosage). Sometimes they lose their effectiveness after a while too, which means trying something new. Good luck. Don't give up until you get things working for you.

I took the maximum dosage of metformin. It did nothing for me either. My Dr. took me off of it. He said there was no need for it if it didn't work. I take Byetta and it helps pretty good. It is expensive though. You might want to check into your states medicaid program. If you qualify they will pay for your meds. and visits. In my state I think it's called TNcare. It is worth a try, because medicaid will usually let you have it if you are uninsurable. And most diabetics are. Good luck!

How long have you been on metformin? Metformin takes several weeks to kick in before you will see improvement.

What are your sugar levels currently? Are you also following a low carb diet? Many folks see improvement in BG levels when they limit total daily intake of carbs to 50 grams or less per day.

In addition to the above suggestions, there are other oral meds that can be taken, many of which are available as generics and part of many retailer's $4 generic program.

If all of these options still fail to bring your sugars under control, you can also consider insulin. Both regular and NPH insulins are available without a prescription and are fairly inexpensive options to the newer more expensive analog insulins.

In any case, no self treatment should be done without first consulting your doctor. If you explain the situation to your doctor many times he/she can offer alternatives that are less expensive. If you do not have a doctor, you may want to check to see if there is a free clinic in your area.